Yellowstone!

I just returned from a week in Yellowstone and the Grand Teton National Parks.  Both are parks that demonstrate why it is that we set lands aside.  Yellowstone is a caldera of a volcano.  The park has 4 distinct areas – big lakes/water, boiling water and geysers, wide valleys, and forested areas (often dry).  The elevation is 6,000-8,500 ft in most areas, and the park is bigger than Rhode Island.  The Tetons rise out of the lakes at their base.  No other mountains anywhere around really.  Wildlife was limited in Yellowstone (although I did see deer, elk, black bears, bison (in the middle of the road of course) and at long last a coyote – first time in years).  Lots of spouting, very hot water.  Saw more wildlife in the Tetons – elk, deer, bison, pronghorn, moose.    No grizzlies and no wolves.  56 mi of hiking.  Lots of photos – took almost 1700.  Here are a few,  More to come…